


Shadowed Beacon

by Everilde



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 16:16:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21323056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everilde/pseuds/Everilde
Summary: Alphinaud, Tataru, and the two Warriors of Light - Kavivi and Everilde - mourn in the Forgotten Knight. To ease their sorrow and lift their spirits, Kavivi decides to tell the tale of how the Warriors first met...Set in Heavensward and based on OC's, more info in notes.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Shadowed Beacon

**Author's Note:**

> As I mention on all of my related posts, I headcanon that my OC & my bf's OC are two WoL's of Eorzea. This is something I wrote back when we played through Heavensward, but I never shared it b/c I am constantly rewriting everything I do. (: 
> 
> There's a chance I'll add onto it one day, but we'll see.

She had never been a particularly uplifting Lalafell. As a matter of fact, Kavivi Vivi took pride in challenging the cheery and cutesy stereotype that so often plagued her people. In contrast she was a serious shadow, cast by the very light she was said to embody. This suited her far better.

On another night, during better circumstances, the solemn cloud that entombed the Forgotten Knight would have come as a comfort to the roguish Red Mage. It was always cold and dark, even with a blazing fire in the fireplace. Something about Ishgard kept the shadows thick and the torchlight dim, no matter how fervently those flames burned. That was one reason the Knight was such a popular haven near the Brume; the ale did wonders to warm frozen bones where a hearth could not. She could have done without the perpetual icy air, but Kavivi was fond enough of the inn and quite enjoyed the shady grunge of it.

That night, however, her drink tasted bland. The faces of her companions held an emptiness that soured any enjoyment she could have gained from the inn. Where she would have been content to drown her own sorrows in her drink, she could barely muster the drive to lift her mug. Even Tataru, the chipper lass who always had something kind or bright to say, could only gaze down at her fiddling thumbs. She sniffled softly beside Kavivi.

Across from them sat Alphinaud, the boy – no, he was not quite a boy any longer and far from the little shite who had joined the Scions a few years prior – glanced towards another table a few paces away.

It was at that table the second Warrior of Light, Kavivi's closest friend, sat alone.

They had all considered Lord Haurchefant to be a dear friend, but there was no denying that Everilde had been far closer to him than the others. So often had Kavivi teased the Highlander about the Elezen Knight that it felt near second nature… Until now. Lord Haurchefant's passing had left all of them unsettled and solemn, but for the mute Bard it had left her distant and empty.

Kavivi watched the Hyur, who had taken to staring at her lone table, unaware of everything around her. As Warriors of Light their path had not been an easy one. Too many lives had already been lost and Kavivi knew the road ahead would be rife with more struggle and harsher goodbyes. This was her nature, noting and accepting the bleak truths that others might sooner shroud and ignore.

For once, though, the Lalafell longed to see her companions smile again, even if just a little…

“Erhem.” Both Alphinaud and Tataru looked up as Kavivi cleared her throat, although Everilde remained lost to them. “So… how about a story?”

Without fault, Tataru perked up, a bit of life returning to her violet eyes. “Oh, what a good idea… I think we could all use a distraction!”

Alphinaud likewise gave a nod, and so with their approval, Kavivi took a swift sip of her ale and moved to stand atop her chair. With a bit of height she well towered over Tataru but remained level with Alphy. At the other table, Everilde continued to loom over them all, even while seated.

Kavivi chanced another glance to her fellow Warrior before her blue eyes settled on their friends.

“I'm sure you've both heard the tale of how Everilde and I met, yes?”

“Actually...” Tataru tapped her chin lightly in thought. “I don't think I have...”

“Nor I,” the young Elezen admitted, though this did not surprise Kavivi; she hadn't liked the lad much in the past and never went out of her way to speak casually with him, at least not before fleeing Ul'dah. “Please, Lady Vivi, do enlighten us with your tale.”

She never failed to roll her eyes at being called 'Lady'.

“It was a few years ago now, not long before you Scions snatched us up...” She cast Tataru a teasingly pointed look.

“Oh come now!” the secretary tsk'd. “I know full well you love all of us, even if we 'snatched' you up!”

Kavivi snorted. “Like a dog loves fleas, sure...”

Despite her words and tone, she smiled at her companions with every ounce of fondness her grumpy heart could muster. It was no secret that she'd been irritated with the entire ordeal in the beginning. She still did and would likely always complain when the Warriors were shot into some new foe like a well-aimed arrow… But they all knew what they would give to have the Scions reunited. Not even serious Kavivi would give up hoping for that.

“Anyway, I was in the Twelveswood hunting down some bandits I'd heard were attacking wealthy travelers. I'm not ashamed to admit I had half a mind to rob the idiots and sell their stolen goods myself…”

Kavivi smirked as Tataru inhaled a sharp gasp.

“Aye,” she continued. “I used to be a thief, believe it or not. Bold and with more confidence than was good for me, I found the lot of them and waltzed right into their camp. Dunno why they didn't shoot me outright, but I suppose a Lalafell struttin' right up was amusing to them.”

She gave a small shrug. “So I told them that I wanted to join their little thieving band of bastards, said I'd been a part of and ditched that Rogue's Guild in Limsa – true story, by the way, I knew my way around with daggers.”

Again Tataru's eyes widened at this new information. She looked to Everilde for confirmation about Kavivi's story and questionable past, bu the other Warrior of Light had yet to acknowledge them. With a pout, the Secretary shifted her focus back to her fellow Lalafell.

“At first they seemed to consider it. The leader, a Hyur man, walked up to me, arms crossed over his chest. 'Ya think your short li'l legs can keep up with us?' he asked me. I had half a mind to stab him in his shins for that but I kept my calm...”

Kavivi paused and reached for her drink, relishing the tension she'd created as her friends waited to hear the rest. She had them distracted well enough from their sadness, at least for the moment, and so after a long sip of ale, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and kept going.

“So I replied, 'Nay! But I'm easy to miss and damn good with a pair of stabbers! You'd be doing yourself a favor taking me on!' The Hyur didn't say anything. He just kept watching me, so I kept talking… Until I noticed an arrow flying straight for me!”

Completely engrossed in the tale, Tataru let out another gasp and covered her mouth with both hands.

“It soared right past the Hyur's shoulder and over my head. Half a second later and I heard the gags of another man choking on his own blood, the arrow lodged into his neck. While I was busy trying to win over their leader, one of his followers was seconds from stabbing me in the back!”

Driven by the excitement of her own tale, Kavivi picked up her ale mug and stepped up onto the table. She had the partial attention of several other patrons now, most of whom watched her from their own tables, half-listening.

“The entire camp jumped into action searching for the hidden archer! Fools forgot all about me in their efforts. Another arrow came from an entirely different direction, slowing down another bandit. At that point I drew my own daggers and jumped on the closest dirty thief I could reach, just to prove how good I was with them!” For emphasis, Kavivi jumped slightly on the table, causing what drink remained in her mug to slosh out over the sides. Alphinaud and Tataru both had to grab hold of their own drinks to keep them steady while Kavivi – with her free hand – made slicing motions in the air.

“Well then...” Alphinaud began with a small smile as he carefully moved his mug and held it over his lap. “I take it your savior was our own Lady Wolfheart?” He looked to Everilde, but no matter how often they glanced her way or mentioned her name, the Highlander remained lost in her grief.

Kavivi nodded. “Aye. As swift as a wolf she came bounding down from some high perch, shooting one or two bandits along the way. She risked a bloody lot to come into the camp, mind, that bow of hers was useless close-range.”

The Lalafell smirked. “But there we were, side by side, as the bandit leader and his remaining cronies circled in on us. Everilde slung her bow over her shoulder and drew a short blade she had hidden against her thigh. Neither of us said a word, but we did share a look, and somehow that was enough to understand that we were in it together…

“The rest of the fight is a bit of a blur,” Kavivi said as she eased back down onto her chair. “But we both took down a few bandits before the rest of them fled, their cowardly bastard of a leader with them. I wanted to give chase, but Everilde motioned for me to follow in the opposite direction. So I gave one last look at the bloodied camp, a bit irritated there wasn't time to steal anything. I almost suggested as much, but a saddled Chocobo had come running up to us. Before I could say a word, Everilde had lifted me up, tossed me onto its back, and we made our way to Hawthorne.”

“Oooh, that's such an excited first meeting!” Tataru grinned.

“It was certainly memorable,” Kavivi added. “I tried talking to her on the ride and admittedly got pretty pissed when she didn't respond. Wasn't until we were Hawthorne and I saw her signing with her hands to some Wood Wailer that I realized she was mute.” Kavivi shrugged. “Anyway, she got paid for dealing with the bandits and split the earnings with me, so I decided she wasn't the worst companion to keep around.”

“The two Warriors of Light, brought together by fate in the heat of combat...” Alphinaud grinned at his musings. “I'm not even the least bit surprised.”

After two years of dealing with Primals and the Empire by Everilde's side, neither was Kavivi.

In wake of her tale, the Forgotten Knight felt a bit brighter than before. Alphinaud and Tataru began to chat about the old Scion days, before the events of Ul'dah that had separated them all. Kavivi only partially listened, as most of her focus remained on her lone friend.

For the first time in what felt like hours, Everilde moved. Her chair scraped against the wooden floor, silencing both Alphy and Tataru as they looked to her. For half a moment it seemed she might join them, but instead the Hyur simply walked by without a glance and ascended the stairs. She vanished into the chilled night of Ishgard.

“… Perhaps I should follow her,” the Elezen lad suggested, but Kavivi only shook her head.

“No, leave her be. She'll grieve for the night, but by morning her heart will be gripped by a need for vengeance. Then we'll have our Everilde back.”

* * *

The city felt colder that night than any before it and that chill sank deep beneath her skin to lay ice over her bones.

Everilde shivered, even beneath the warm weight of a fur-lined cloak, and pressed onward. In the darkness the streets were near empty save for a guard on watch or a weary citizen making their way home. Ever spared them no glance.

Her steps were swift and sure, though her direction was not so clear. She had not left the Forgotten Knight with a destination in mind. She had only wanted to get away from the warmth and the voices.

They meant well, her companions, and it pained her to offer them no comfort. No matter the tragedies they had faced together, she had always managed to stand tall and sturdy, a beacon of light and hope. She had always aimed to bring strength to those who needed it, to ensure the broken and fearful that everything would turn out fine. But now she could not even manage that for herself…

They were all heartbroken, just as they had been for every life lost in their company, for their cause. And yet… All of those past pains felt weak compared to Lord Haurchefant's sacrifice.

Yes, the noble of House Fortemps and the Bard had been close. Perhaps not nearly as close as Kavivi liked to jest, for though she had often been tempted, Everilde had never accepted any of Haurchefant's more intimate offers. Still, even without such intimacy she and the silver-haired Elezen had developed a friendship worth of whispers and rumors. There was little doubt that they could have become something more, had fate dared to allow such happiness…

But for a woman bathed in the light of Hydaelyn, fate had certainly cast a lingering darkness over the Warrior's life.

And so she walked onward, through the darkness of Ishgard and past the glowing Foundation Aetheryte. Her boots nearly guided her out of the city entirely, but rather than continue that way, Everilde turned, drawing closer to the rickety steps leading into the Brume. A short stone wall separated her from a fatal plummet into the abyss over which Ishgard loomed. She placed her palms upon the freezing stone and leaned over the edge, gazing down into the mist and shadows, where the bones of dragon and Ishgardian alike lay frozen far below.

It was her fault. No one else would say it, but she could at least admit that to herself. When they had stood upon the airship landing with their allies, she and the Knight had shared a look. Without words they both knew what needed to be done. While Aymeric distracted his father with talk, they alone might be swift enough to hinder the Archbishop's attempted escape… So together they rushed forward, and alone Haruchefant had claimed the blow meant for her.

The Archbishop was forgotten, even as he fled. Nothing else mattered at that moment but the dying man who bled upon the sun-kissed stone beneath them. She had wept, silent as she ever was, and gripped his hand as he faded… And now she cursed that silence, for staring into the darkness below, Everilde longed for nothing more than to scream. She wanted life and death and everything in-between to hear her fury and heartache…

It should have been her, she reasoned with herself. No one else should have rushed forward as they had, no on else should have taken the spear. Even if it had killed her, so be it. Kavivi could continue on without her, bringing the Light of Hydaelyn to Eorzea and beyond. Perhaps that was why the Mother had chosen them both, so that if one fell there would still be a beacon to shine onward, to carry forth Her will…

But as always it seemed that she, Warrior of Light, was destined to survive, even while others perished around her.

“I hope you're not thinking of jumping.” A familiar voice plucked Everilde from her melancholy thoughts. Tears had frosted on her cheeks, though she hadn't realized she'd been crying. She was quick to wipe them away before she turned to face Kavivi's disapproving gaze.

“I'll be damned if I let you leave me alone with this Warrior of Light mess.” The Lalafell crossed her arms over her chest. “And I'll be damned if I let you break Alphinaud and Tataru's hearts. We've all endured enough.”

She was right, of course, and though Everilde had not intended to leap to her death, she nodded anyway.

“Good, I'm glad you're listening to me for once. We should head back to Fortemps Manor, it's late.”

Kavivi turned and began walking way, but when she did not hear footsteps following she paused and faced the Highlander. “Well? You can't mean to sleep out here and freeze your tits off?”

Everilde shook her head and lifted her hands, signing. _I will sleep in the Inn. _

Haurchefant's family grieved for a death that she caused; how could she continue to share their home?

“Like hell you will!” Kavivi growled. “Come, you'll insult the Count if you sleep in the Inn! After all he's done for us and all he's been through, accepting his kindness is the least we can do.”

For not the first time, Kavivi was right. Everilde gave her friend a defeated sigh and together they walked through the cold night, even if every step pained her the closer they drew to House Fortemps.


End file.
